By Chris Williams: Former WBA World lightweight champion Brandon Rios (29-0-1, 22 KO’s) is reportedly interested in facing 38-year-old former three-division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez (53-6-1, 39 KO’s) in the near future according to examiner.com. Rios, 25, lost his World Boxing Association title on the scales before his last fight against John Murray last December.

He’s now looking for his next big fight and wouldn’t mind facing the 38-year-old Marquez. However, it’s unclear whether Rios’ promoter Bob Arum will allow Rios to take the fight against Marquez because Rios is someone that Arum is building up to face his cash cow WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in 2013, and Marquez is simply too talented for Rios and would likely pick him apart.

Everything that Rios does, Marquez does a lot better and Rios’ favorite weapon – his uppercut – would be neutralized by Marquez without any problems. If that fight was to be made by Arum, it wouldn’t likely happen until Marquez is over 40 and showing serious signs of decline. Right now, Marquez is just too damn good for a limited fighter like Rios, who looked horrible in struggling to a win over Britain’s John Murray last December.

The Marquez-Rios fight would do well with Mexican boxing fans, but I don’t see it as being a big enough fight to interest Marquez. He wants big named fighters, not guys that need him to make a name for themselves like Rios does. Rios is a fighter that is popular with hardcore boxing fans but who doesn’t have a huge fan base with the casual boxing fan yet. Rios needs someone like Marquez, but not until he ages out to where he’s a toothless lion and can be beaten safely. There’s no comparison between a prime Marquez and Rios. Marquez simply was a lot better fighter than Rios can ever hope to be, but the thing is even at 75% of what he once was, Marquez is still far too good for the limited Rios.

Rios likes to come forward leaning so he can throw his short uppercuts. Marquez would make a mess out of him. Marquez is too strong and too skilled for Rios.